12 Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Pie Recipes to Please a Crowd

On November 27, 2024By Littum

Holidays call for a pumpkin pie at the dessert table, and we have a variety of recipes to choose from. From classic, creamy fillings in buttery, flaky crusts to hand pies and pie bars, these pumpkin pie recipes will please a crowd at any gathering. Add bourbon, chocolate, pecans, brown butter or cream cheese to upgrade the filling in flavor and texture. Swirl or garnish to enhance the presentation, and trust our foolproof pie crust recipes for these delightful desserts.

Pumpkin cream pie in a chocolate crust

John Kernick

Combine a silky pumpkin cream in a crunchy chocolate cookie crust with a tangy crème fraîche in this recipe from cookbook author Melissa Clark.

Pumpkin cream cheese pie

Chris Simpson / FOOD STYLING by MARGARET MONROE DICKEY / PROP STYLING by AUDREY DAVIS

Recipe developer Ann Taylor Pittman swirls orange liqueur and cream cheese into the filling for this flaky, buttery crust.

Pecan Pumpkin Cream Pie

Tara Donne

Chef Joanne Chang packs two fillings—pumpkin cream and gooey, syrupy pecan—into a pie that makes for a stunning presentation.

Classic pumpkin pie

F&W Test Kitchen veteran Grace Parisi uses all-butter pie dough, parbaking, a can of pumpkin puree, and cinnamon for this go-to pumpkin pie recipe.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Grace Parisi gives your favorite pie the height and fluffy texture of a mousse by separating the eggs in this recipe.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie

Emily and Melissa Elsen of Brooklyn’s Four & Twenty Blackbirds say the addition of browned butter gives the pumpkin a subtle butterscotch flavor in this sweet take on the crowd pleaser.

Chocolate Swirled Pumpkin Pie

Stir in melted bittersweet chocolate with a knife to add this striking, rich design to the celebration-worthy pumpkin pie.

Black sesame pumpkin pie

Photo: Victor Protasio /Food Stylist Torie Cox /Prop Stylist Claire Spollen

F&W’s Paige Grandjean adds mascarpone cheese to pumpkin cream and a layer of nutty black sesame paste for this rich pumpkin pie variation.

Bourbon Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Streusel

Chef Robert Stehling of the much-missed Hominy Grill in Charleston, South Carolina, infuses creamy pumpkin custard with a hint of bourbon and bakes a crunchy, caramelized pecan streusel atop the sweet-spicy pie.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

Pastry chef Sarah Jordan removes the crust with these super shareable handheld snacks.

Pumpkin hand pies

Chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern notes that kids can help make these sweet, spicy treats.

Cranberry Glazed Pumpkin Pie

At the now-shuttered and much-missed Pie Lab, Deborah Callia made a super-simple crust with gingersnaps and ground walnuts, poured in a silky pumpkin pie, and topped the dessert with a cranberry compote.